Make Dry January more enjoyable with your pick from chardonnay substitutes to alcohol-free merlot and much more
Siobhan Grogan – Thursday 02 January 2025 13:56 GMT
For some, the threat of a fuzzy head during an early morning meeting is enough to make them turn down a drink, while others feel going alcohol-free improves their mental health and anxiety levels. Some don’t want a nightly tipple to derail their diet, while many are cutting back to save cash.
Alcohol-free drinks can make the process easier. They appeal to anyone who doesn’t want to be stuck sipping fizzy drinks all night, or who wants to feel like they’re still holding a drink, without risking the hangover. They’re also useful if you don’t want to explain why you’re skipping the booze, as they look just like an ordinary glass of beer or wine.
While it’s easy to get your hands on booze-free beer even in pubs, it’s much harder to find a good non-alcoholic wine. These are usually made by leaving out the alcohol entirely or removing it at the last moment, and it has proved difficult to replicate the flavours, mouthfeel and depth of wine without the alcohol. It’s generally easier to make the switch if you look for sweeter wines, such as riesling, or non-alcoholic fizz, which has a similar mouthfeel to bona fide bubbly.
Remember that UK government guidance specifies alcohol-free drinks can actually contain up to 0.05 per cent ABV, while dealcoholised drinks (with the alcohol removed) should have no more than 0.5 per cent. Though these are negligible amounts for most people, anyone who wants to avoid alcohol completely may still prefer to swerve some of these wines.
